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Drug user dies after Ketamine overdose

Drug user dies after 'horse tranquiliser' overdoseA drug user died after overdosing on ketamine – a substance normally used as a horse tranquilliser.

Mark Anthony Smith, aged 40, was found dead by friends in his mobile home in Tyne Road, near Weedon Road industrial estate, on December 13, an inquest in Northampton heard yesterday.

Coroner Anne Pember recorded a verdict of accidental death, adding: "This was an untimely death. One would have hoped he would have many more years ahead of him."

Terry Bogg, service director for CAN Northampton Adult Services, which provides drug, alcohol and homelessness services throughout Northamptonshire, said the drug was primarily used socially.

He said: "Ketamine has been around in Northampton for years. It's a clubbing drug.

"It isn't unusual for young people to mention it in passing, but it tends to be mixed with other drugs. It is rare for it to be used as someone's primary drug. It's also a very dangerous drug. Users develop a tolerance to it, which means they need more and more."

He said that, from the 30-40 people the organisation saw each day, about one person a week reported using ketamine.

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Drug user dies after 'horse tranquiliser' overdoseA drug user died after overdosing on ketamine – a substance normally used as a horse tranquilliser.

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Swim never understood this. Even his friends know Ketamine as "that horse tranquilizer drug". Why? As far as swim knows, the most common use of ketamine that an average person would be familiar with is a dental anaesthetic in children, for wisdom tooth removal and the like...

Swim never understood this. Even his friends know Ketamine as "that horse tranquilizer drug". Why? As far as swim knows, the most common use of ketamine that an average person would be familiar with is a dental anaesthetic in children, for wisdom tooth removal and the like...

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Absolutely. However, if we ignore this ridiculous myth which is found in almost all media reports about ketamine, there are still more problems with the article. The most glaring one is the details of this death:

What dose did he take? It is difficult to fatally overdose on ketamine.

How did he take it (IM/IV/insufflation/oral)?

Was there a toxicology report done? If not, how did the coroner know it was ketamine?

What was the actual cause of death? Cardiac arrest? Respiratory arrest?

Swim never understood this. Even his friends know Ketamine as "that horse tranquilizer drug". Why? As far as swim knows, the most common use of ketamine that an average person would be familiar with is a dental anaesthetic in children, for wisdom tooth removal and the like...

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The turtles aardvark is no expert, but in his experience it seems ketamine has only recently come into play as accepted medical practice in humans (in the US). Throughout the 80's and 90's it was known mostly as a veterinary tranquilizer.

The turtles aardvark is no expert, but in his experience it seems ketamine has only recently come into play as accepted medical practice in humans (in the US). Throughout the 80's and 90's it was known mostly as a veterinary tranquilizer.

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Ketamine was first developed in the US during the early 60s, specifically to replace phencyclidine (PCP) for human use, and it was widely used during the Vietnam War.

^ That's correct. Ketamine has a long history of use as a general anesthetic in humans. It is also used a general anesthetic for animals, not as a tranquilizer. It is one of the safest general anesthetics, but is not used much because patients because patients complain about the effects when 'emerging' from it.

There are other threads about ketamine overdoses. They are extremely rare as it is very hard to take enough ketamine to OD, especially when sniffed. This story can't be taken seriously.

Thought it was nearly impossible to OD on K. The only way it could kill you is if it effects the hind brain (medulla, limbic system, cerebellum, etc.). Then again, not too sure on what parts of the brain are effected by ketamine.

It sounds like they only found ketamine when they found the body, and they even said that it's often mixed with other drugs. Plus not too many peoples D.O.C. is k, and this man has drug history. I bet he had a lil something else that helped this tradgedy.